You can probably tell by that moaning sound emanating from
the other posts that I had a fairly decent first round of games. Bringing jeeps
in my first 500 points seems to have been fortunate, since they arguably won me
both games.
In the first, just driving units quickly off the opponent’s
table edge was enough to win the game – which seemed all a bit too easy. I
imagine that the smaller scale against the table size and low points all played
in my favour here, as I was able to exploit the space and hide my jeeps for a
1940s version of the Cannonball Run.
“It was really that
easy”
The second game saw me have to grab an objective from the
middle of the table, and a bit of fortune on drawing table edges meant I had a
road running right where I needed it while David’s forces had to hike through
some fields. Burt Reynolds time again for my jeep, which drove up and dropped
off my bazooka team and officer. A quick passing of the objective between them
and my officer was able to, ahem, ‘valiantly’ make off to safety like Usain
Bolt (a white Usain Bolt, that is, since we don’t allow racial mixing in the
U.S. army, no sir!).
“Job done, troops”
So, two victories based on speed and manoeuvrability (almost
sounds like I planned it?) – but where next?
I knew that there was likely to be plenty of armour hitting
the table in the next 500 points – especially with Jon’s broken Italians, who
already had a flame-thrower tank thing before month two.
It seemed that for me it was a case of having to join in
with a Sherman – except this would wipe out most of my next 500 points… unless…
Like a driving range
for Bazookas?
Rather than taking a tank, why not take some cheaper anti-tank
options? All I need is a couple of decent shots, right?
I added an extra bazooka team to my list to go with the existing
one and the Howitzer – and at 78 points, it gave me plenty to play with.
Since mobility worked
so well last time, I wanted to add the two trucks I was forced to leave out in
the first 500 points into my list. Ideally I would have added a machine gun to
each of them, but I needed the points elsewhere. But at least, with a carrying
capacity of 18 men per truck, I would be able to get my troops where I needed
them. I also added an extra unit to my list – keeping it simple and copying the
existing two (SMGs / Rifles, and NCO). With the extra troops I also added
another MMG-sporting jeep to help harry the enemy.
With plenty of points saved on the price of a tank I added a
sniper team too - they are a good way of annoying enemy units as well as taking
down other snipers – and cheap at 67 points (veteran).
However, something was still missing from the list. Sure,
there was mobility, troops, and some decent firepower, but I needed a game-changer.
Something broken. Something that could potentially back-fire and completely
destroy my own units…
I needed a Forward Air Observer – with the pre-requisite two
shots per game (‘cause it’s the Americans, b*tches!).
“That was close”
Here’s the list in full:
2nd Lt (Veteran) – 65pts
Bazooka (Veteran) – 78pts
Bazooka (Veteran) – 78pts
Jeep (Veteran) – 25pts
Jeep (Veteran) with MMG – 40pts
Jeep (Veteran) with MMG – 40pts
2.5 Ton Truck (Regular) – 51pts
2.5 Ton Truck (Regular) – 51pts
M2A1 Medium Howitzer (Veteran) – 84pts
Unit 1 – NCO with SMG plus 4 Rifles & 2 SMG – 100pts
Unit 2 – NCO with SMG plus 4 Rifles & 2 SMG - 100pts
Unit 3 - NCO with SMG plus 4 Rifles & 2 SMG - 100pts
Sniper Team (Veteran) – 67pts
Forward Air Observer (Veteran) – 115pts
Total – 994
“Next month’s
reinforcements on order?”
I have no idea how this list will work and if it will really
be able to deal with the tank-meta, but hey, it’s only month two, and reinforcements
will be on the way for month three (I have a tank on stand-by).
Besides, there is the chance that the air observer will wipe
out either me or the enemy in the first turn – no point in planning anything
much tactically, then!
“No plans!”
